Measuring device for football games



June is, 1929. 1.. Mom: 1,717,805

: MEASURING DEVICE FOR FOOTBALL GAMES Filed April 19 1928 ATTORNEY Patent June 18, 1929.

AENT

FFICE.

LUTHER MORE, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

MEASURING DEVICE FOR FOOTBALL GAMES.

Application filed April 18, 1928. Serial No. 271,391.

As is well understood, in the game of football it is the duty of the linesman, under the direction of the referee, from his position adjacent to one of the side lines of the playing field, to carefully and quickly take note of the varying positions of the ball and whenever a down occurs to properly mark or indicate the distances gained or lost in the progress of the play, such markin or indicating bein by the use of a short r0 carried by him. iding the linesman in the measuring of distances are two assistants who in the performance of their duties use two long rods se cured together at their lower ends by a flexible connection ten yards in len h.

The utmost accuracy in mar ing or indicating the position of the ball after each down is, of course, of great importance to both players and spectators, and as indicative of this attention is called to the fact that the rules under which the outstanding games of this country are played provide that the forward point of the ball, in its position when declared dead, shall be taken as the determining point in the measuring. It is therefore frequently a matter of some little difficulty to quickly make the requireddistance measurements, and especially so when the ball lies near the side line that is farthest from the linesman.

It is the leading object of my invention to provide means that Will permit the taking of the required distance measurements more rapidly and accurately than by the present method. Briefly stated I accomplish this object by providinga traveling frame or carriage upon which is located a suitable sighting instrument, such as an ordinary transit, pivotally mounted so as to be swung vertically, and by providing a track for said frame or carriage to travel upon, said track being located adjacent to and exactly arallel with one of the side lines of the playing field, and having in connection therewith numbered members indicating distances from the goal lines, with which numbered members suitable indicators or pointers on the frame are adapted to cooperate. Other objects and the manner in which they are attained will be set forth in connection with the detailed descri tion of the device. That which I believe to e new will be set forth in the claims.

In the drawin Fig. 1 is a si e elevation of the movable apparatus and a portion of the track that it is movable upon.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the parts shown in ig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a football field and showing the relation thereto of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

1g. 4 is a detail, bein a cross-section taken at line 44 of Fig. 1 and showing the manner of movahly securing in place one of the pointers that are slidingly mounted on the frame of the apparatus and depending therefrom.

Fig. 5 is a detail, being a perspective view of the sliding block shown in section in Fig. 4 and to which one of the pointers is connected; and

Fig. 6 is a detail bein a perspective view of a portion of one of the si n holders, and showing a sign in position to be placed in the holder. Referring to the several figures of the drawmg in which corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference characters,10 indicates a frame, which, in the construction shown, is sup orted on three wheels indicated respectively y 11, 12 and 13. The wheels 11 and 12 are grooved wheels that fit over and run upon a track 14 which track may well be formed from a tightly stretched cable to adapt it to be more readily removed when the playing field is desired for some other use than for football games, but of course such track may be otherwise formed if desired. It is essential, however, that the track be so laid or placed that it extends parallel to and adjacent to one of the side lines of the playing field as clearly indicated in the diagram shown in Fi 3 where the line 14 indicates such track. he third supporting wheel that is indicated, as stated, by 13 is journaled upon the outer end of a lateral extension 15 of the main portion of the frame 10, and preferably will travel upon the round, as shown, al though a separate tracfiway may be provided for it if deemed desirable.

Mounted approximately centrally upon the upper portion of the wheeled frame or carriage 10 is a bracket 16, in the bifurcated upper end of which is journaled, so as to turn vertically only, a suitable sighting instrument, which, as here shown, is preferably an ordinar transit, such instrument being indicated by 17. The transit is so mounted as to extend at all times in a direction at right anles to the line of travel of the wheeled frame. he transit is to be located at such a height that it may be used by a person of ordinary stature standing upon the ground beside the frame and who by turning it on its pivots may, as hereinafter described, bring into his line of vision the football that lies in line with it regardless of the osition of the ball relative to either of the si e lines of the field.

Also mounted upon the main frame or carria e 10 and extending upwardly therefrom, and located respectively near the ends thereof, are two supplemental frame members, 18 and 19, which serve as a means for holding and displaying certain signs that are designed to furnish information about the game that 15 being played. Each of these sign holders preferably has a fixed lower panel 20 on each face of which will be painted a word relating to the game, such as down in the holder 18 and yards in the other holder, and the upper part of each holder is constructed to detachably receive a numbered plate 21. These plates are to be made of any suitable material and each will have the same figures on its two faces, and each sign will be large enough to be plainly discernible by the occupants of seats on opposite sides of the playing It is contemplated that a supply 0 these double-faced numbered plates will be provided and hung upon or otherwise attached to the frame so as to be available for insertion in the proper holder to denote the changes as they occur from time to time in the game.

As clearly shown in Fig. 1 the supporting members of the track properand which are here shown as a series of blocks 22 spaced a art at regular intervals-have numbers on t eir outer faces which indicate the number of yards the blocks are distant, respectively, from the two goal lines. Adapted to cooperate with these numbers on the track blocks 22 are two pointers connected with an upper beam member of the frame 10 and depending therefrom so that their lower, and preferably pointed, ends are capable of being brought opposite any of such numbered track blocks. These pointers are indicated respectively by 23 and 24. 'Each pointer is connected near its upper end with a slide-block 25 (see Figs. 4 and 5) shaped to conform to a guideway 26 formed in the outer face of an upper longitudinally-extending member of the frame 10. Each pointer is connected to its slide-block 25 by a screw 27 which, through the projecting head thereon, can be turned to either clamp the slide-block against movement in the guideway or will permit it to be freely moved therein; As shown in Fig. 1 the frame beam in which the guideway is formed has its outer face provided with a series of graduation lines and which in practice will be appropriately marked with figures indicating short distances. The upper ends of the pointers lie opposite this beam so marked, and

by means of such raduations the distance that either pointer %as been or is to be independently moved, for the pur uses hereinafter referred to, may be imme iately determined.

While the carriage or apparatus as a whole may be quickly and easily pushed to any position along the track so as to keep it approximately directly opposite any ortion of the, playing field, yet for short distance movements and in order that the sighting device 17 may be very accurately trained upon the ball I provide a special moving means, which, as here shown, comprises a pulley 28 fast on a shaft 29 that is rotatable in bearings carried by an upper longitudinal member of the frame 10, and around which pulley and another pulley 30 fast on the axle of the wheel 11 asses a drive belt 31. ()n the end of the stu shaft 29 is secured a hand wheel 32.

In operation the wheeled frame or carriage is to be moved lengthwise of the playing field until the sighting device 17 is seen to be approximately opposite the football on the field. By means of the hand wheel 32 the carriage is then given the fine adjustment that is necessary to bring, the transit 17 in position to be trained directly upon the forward end of the ball as indicated diagrammatically in. Fig. 3 where the ball is indicated by 33.

When the transit is so set the slide block 25 carrying the pointer 23 is to be moved in the slideway-26 until such pointer points exactly to some yard mark on the track, and the pointer is then to be locked in place by a turn of its screw 27. The number of the yard mark at which the pointer is directed, reading from the goal of the offensive team, is to be recorded on a pad, (which may be sup iorted on the carriage as at 34) and the ObJOCtlVU noted, which objective is that number plus ten.

After the next down, if there has been a movement of the ball, the apparatus is again moved until the transit is again in line withthe ball. The said pointer 23, however, is not to be independently moved until a first down has been made but will, of course, have been moved with the machine to a new position on the track. The approximate distance gained or lost ma be determined from this new position and t e signs 21 changed to show the new yardage to be gained and the number of the down.

When the pointer shows that a first down has been made, that is, points to or is past the objective mentioned above that fact is to be signaled to the referee and the pointer reset exactly on a track graduation mark if it is not already on one. The pointer should be left marking the location of the last down until the next play is surely completed, so that in case a lay is called back the old position of the ball may be located with absolute certainty for the referee. In the case of a penalty the other pointer, 24, is set to any yard mark and the carriage moved the required number of yards in either direction,the pointer 23 still remaining the one to indicate when yardage has been made.

l/Vhen the ball is to be changed at the end of a quarter the pointer 24, which has so far herein been considered as the penalty point to be gained and the other pointer, 23, being used as the penalty ointer. It will also be understood that the unctions of the pointers would be changed when the ball passed from one team to the other.

By my invention there is provided an apparatus that will dispense with the use of the poles and chains held by the assistants of the head linesman and also the down box and stick used by him at present to mark the position of the ball, and which apparatus will enable the ascertainment of yardage made or lost by a team in much quicker time and with greater certainty than by the means and methods now in use. It also affords a means of showing to players and spectators the number of the down and the yardage made or lost during each play.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows 1. An apparatus of the class described comprising a wheeled frame, a track parallel with one of the sidelines of a football field and on which track said wheeled frame is mounted, said track having markings at regular intervals in connection therewith that denote distances from the respective goal lines of the field, a pointer depending from said frame and adapted to point to the said track markings, means for holding said pointer in different positions longitudinally of said frame, and a movable sighting instrument mounted on the frame for sighting across the field in a direction at right angles to the line of movement of the frame on said track.

' 2. An apparatus of the class described comprisin a wheeled frame, a track parallel with one o the side lines of a football field and. on which track said wheeled frame is mounted, said track having markings at regular intervals in connection therewith that denote.

distances from the respective oal lines of the field, two pointers depending rom said frame toward said track, said pointers being indeiendently adjustable longitudinall rame, and a vertically-movable sig ting inof the.

strument mounted on the frame for sighting across the field in a direction at right angles to the line of movement of the frame on said track. I

3. An apparatus of the class described comprising a wheeled frame, a track at one side of and parallel to one of the side lines of a football field and upon which track the said frame is adapted to be moved, said track having markings in connection ;therewith arranged at regular intervals to denote distances from the respective goal lines of the field, and a plurality of pointers carried by the frame and extendin toward said track markings, said pointers eing independently adjustable lengthwise of the frame.

4. An apparatus of the class described comprising a w eeled frame, a track at one side of and parallel to one of the side lines of a football fieldand upon which track the said frame" is adapted to be moved, said track having markings in connection therewith arranged at regular intervals to denote distances from the respective goal lines of the field, and a plurality of independently-adjustable pointers that are movable longitudinally of the frame and extending toward said track markings, said frame being provided with graduations adjacent to said pointers to indicate the extent of movement of the pointers.

5. An apparatus of the class described comprising a w eeled frame, a track at one side of and parallel to one of the side lines of a football field and upon which track the said frame is adapted to be moved, said track having markin s thereon at intervals to denote distances rom the respective goal lines of the field, a plurality of pointers carried by theframe and independently adjustable lengthwise of the frame and extending toward said track markings, and means carried by the frame for displaying removable signs giving information as to the game being played on said field.

6. An apparatus of the class described comprising a wheeled frame, a track at one side of and parallel to one of the side lines of a football field and u on which tr ck the said frame is adapted to e moved, s id track having markings thereon at intervals to denote distancesfrom the respective goal lines of the field, a plurality of pointers carried by the frame and extending toward saidtrack markings, a vertically-movable sighting device mounted on the frame for sighting across the field in a direction at right angles to the line LUTHER- MORE. 

